Renforcing means for flexible couplings of pipe lines



April 19 .REENFORCING MEANS FOR FLEXIBLE COUPLINGS 0F PIPE LINES 2Sheets-Sheet 1 Filed April 22 1926 A will 19 1927..

p J. c. RODDY REENFORCING MEANS FOR FLEXIBLE COUPLINGS 0F PIPE LINESFiled April 22. 1926 2 Sheets-Sheet 2 Patented Apr. 19, 1927.

JOHN C. RODDY, OF IPALATKA, FLORIDA.

BEENFORCING MEANS FOR FLEXIBLE COUPLINGS OF PIPE LINES.

Application filed April 22, 1926.- Serial No. 103,857.

The invention relates to means for reenforcing the flexible couplings ofpipe lines to prevent drawing off of the flexible coupling by excess ofpressure in the pipe lines.

The invention is directed to pipe lines used for conveying silt anddbris from dredgers to the point of deposit, the method usually employedconsisting of having a plus ralit-y of pipe sections mounted on. ontoonsto float the pipe sections, the pipe sections being connected end'to endby flexible tubing such for instance as short lengths of hose. By thisconstruction the pipe line is flexible to permit relative movement ofthe adjacent sections, and'the flexible couplings are liable to bedisconnected from the pipe sections by the relativemovements of adjacentpipe sections and excess of pressure in the pipe line.

The invention has for its object the pro vision of a reenforcing meansfor the flexible coupling comprising clamp members secured to the pipesections of each joint and carrying jointed rods forming hinge membersthat are slidably mounted on the clamps, and providing springs on theends of the rods to normally hold the reenforcing means and the flexiblecoupling contracted, said springs permitting a limited movement of theclamp members in expanding the reenforcing means and the flexiblecoupling.

A further object of the invention is the provision of flanged bushingson which the spring means are mounted, said bushings being normallyspaced from one another and functioning to permit the expansion of thereenforcing means and the flexible coupling to prevent the flexiblecoupling from being subjected to an excess strain.

The invention will be described in detail hereinafter and willbe foundillustrated in the accompanying drawings in which Figure 1 is a sideview of a fragment of a pipe line showing the reenforcing means.

in position,

Figure 2 is a plan view,

Figure 3 is a transverse sectional view on a plane indicated by the line3-3 of Figure 2 Figure 4 is a sectional detail on a plane indicated bythe line 4-4 of Figure 1, and

Figure 5 is a perspective view of one of the bushings. 4

In the drawings similar reference characters will be used to designatecorresponding parts throughout the several views.

A fragment of a pipe line used for conyeying silt and other debris fromav dredge is shown in Figures 1 and? and comprises sections oil. pipedesignated A, each section of pipe being supported by oneor morepontoons B, and (l a flexible couplin connecting adjacent ends of pipesections As heretofore stated the purpose of this invention is toreenforce the flexible coupling 0 and said -reenforcing means comprisesclamp members 1 having arms 2 extending laterally from the pipe A, andheld clamped on the pipe A by means of bolts or other fastenings 3secured to said arms 2, said fastening means comprising two boltssecured through each pair of arlns, and spaced apart to receive rods 4and permit slidable movement of said rods relatively. to said clamp,said rods being hinged together by interengaging eyes. Slidably mountedon each of the rods 4 are bushings 6 having flanges 7, and 8 indicatesexpansible coil springs mounted on each pair of bushings and having therespective ends thereof engaging the flanges 7. It will be apparent thatsprings 8 normally hold the adjacent pipe sections Ain alinement and thereenforcing member and the flexible coupling contracted but that themovement of the pipe sections relatively to one another is permitted andcushioned b the springs, the bushin s 6 serving to limit the expansionof the joint and the relative movement of the pipe sections into angularposition.

In the drawings, the reenforcing means are shown to comprise two hingedrods at each joint. I do not, however. limit the invention to theemployment of two rods as it may be found desirabl'e'to increase thenumber of the hin 'e'd rods to 4 or more, the drawings beingillustrative of one adaptation of the invention only p What is claimedis z- 1. Reenforcing means for flexible couplings of pipe lines,including pipe sections, and a flexible coupling connecting said pipesections, comprising clamp members secured to the pipe sectionsadjacehtto the flexible coupling, said clamp members having spaced arms, rodsslidably mounted between said arms and hingedly secured together betweenthe clamp members, and springs mounted on said rods and o erativelyconnected to said arms to normal v hold the pipes in alinement.

2. Reenforcing means for flexible couplings of pipe lines including pipesections,

and a flexible couplin connecting said pipe sections, comprising 0 ampmembers secured to the pipe sections adjacent to the flexible coupling,hinge members comprising jointed rods connecting said clamp members,said rods being slidable in the clamp members,

bushings slidably mounted on said rods, and

JOHN C. Ronny.

